(EXHIB) @Rutgers, Sun. Nov. 5, 1p, BTN Plus
- Thread starter Knight
- Start date
Let's hope we first beat Oregon St. to have a shot to play Missouri
Aside from interior D we couldn't shoot today.
Lovett's 4 turnovers didn't help. Real sloppy w/ ball and one or two were especially ill timed
Lovett's 4 turnovers didn't help. Real sloppy w/ ball and one or two were especially ill timed
Post Game Quotes from Mullin
http://www.redstormsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/110517aab.html
Head Coach Chris Mullin
On his takeaways from game at Rutgers:
"Well it's all stuff that we've been working on: rebounding, individual defense, shrinking the floor. This was a really good game for us to get out and do some good things. We built a nice lead in the second half, but then got a little lackadaisical and they capitalized. It was something that we can't emulate in practice, so it was good."
On the second half of the game:
"Offensively we were fine. I think we did a pretty good job on offense. We had a few unforced turnovers, but I'm really not concerned about our team offensively. It's really just maintaining our presence defensively. First and foremost, taking on the individual challenge and then sticking to our team principle."
On the game as a whole:
"I thought we just let up defensively in the second half as a team. They shot 68 percent in the second half, so I thought that was probably the biggest thing. In the beginning I thought both teams played pretty hard, but in the second half their physically got the best of us."
http://www.redstormsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/110517aab.html
Head Coach Chris Mullin
On his takeaways from game at Rutgers:
"Well it's all stuff that we've been working on: rebounding, individual defense, shrinking the floor. This was a really good game for us to get out and do some good things. We built a nice lead in the second half, but then got a little lackadaisical and they capitalized. It was something that we can't emulate in practice, so it was good."
On the second half of the game:
"Offensively we were fine. I think we did a pretty good job on offense. We had a few unforced turnovers, but I'm really not concerned about our team offensively. It's really just maintaining our presence defensively. First and foremost, taking on the individual challenge and then sticking to our team principle."
On the game as a whole:
"I thought we just let up defensively in the second half as a team. They shot 68 percent in the second half, so I thought that was probably the biggest thing. In the beginning I thought both teams played pretty hard, but in the second half their physically got the best of us."
ManhattAn1
Active member
Attended the game this afternoon and on Wednesday as well. I am extremely concerned about the defense and rebounding. 80 points for Rutgers and 28 for Freeman two areas we were concerned about and today's performance did not alleviate those concerns.
I was talking with my dear friend Zach Braziller from the NY post this afternoon and he says this is the time to build the right habits and this was not a good sign but early in the season.
Make or break year will see what happens.
I was talking with my dear friend Zach Braziller from the NY post this afternoon and he says this is the time to build the right habits and this was not a good sign but early in the season.
Make or break year will see what happens.
Class of 72
Active member
The good: this was a meaningless exhibition game. Ponds is THE man on this team. Simon is a naturally talented athlete and will improve every game. Yakwe may still not be 100%. Clark not in sync as yet and hopefully not overhyped as a "leader" as he was awful in this exhibition. Our guards can score with any team in the league.
The bad: Our entire front line was not as good as one Rutgers player - Freeman. This will result in losses to most Big East teams with any size coupled with average talent. When a team is poorly coached defensively as are the redmen you get players like Owens, Yakwe and Alibegovic committing fouls because of poor defensive positioning. Lovett still playing loosey-goosey with the ball. In real games I see Mullin sitting him when that happens. Guards not involving anyone on the front line. That's a coaching issue. Yakwe has yet to show any semblance of an offensive game ankle injury or no ankle injury. The lack of improvement from our front court players (Yakwe, Alibegovic, Ahmed and Owens) will deter recruits unless we miraculously gel during the season. Even the loss of a skinny front court frosh like Wilson will be magnified by our lack of depth and height.
The bad: Our entire front line was not as good as one Rutgers player - Freeman. This will result in losses to most Big East teams with any size coupled with average talent. When a team is poorly coached defensively as are the redmen you get players like Owens, Yakwe and Alibegovic committing fouls because of poor defensive positioning. Lovett still playing loosey-goosey with the ball. In real games I see Mullin sitting him when that happens. Guards not involving anyone on the front line. That's a coaching issue. Yakwe has yet to show any semblance of an offensive game ankle injury or no ankle injury. The lack of improvement from our front court players (Yakwe, Alibegovic, Ahmed and Owens) will deter recruits unless we miraculously gel during the season. Even the loss of a skinny front court frosh like Wilson will be magnified by our lack of depth and height.
In two exhibition games Clark is 1-10 from 3. I can live with Ponds and Lovett having off nights from 3 but we need Clark and Ahmed to score down low. Hopefully Yawke will be better by opening day. This game was very similar to last year so no real surprise.
What's troubling is that the consensus at the end of last season was that we had some great up and coming guards. If they stayed, and we added even one serviceable JUCO/Grad big man, we could have a very strong team.
The guards are still here, but unfortunately, that big man is not. Having not seen today's game, and only looking at the box score, I see the two starting forwards combined to go 4-8 from 2, but only 1-5 each from three. Now, Ahmed has a decent shot, and they say Clark does, although I haven't seen him yet. But in a lineup starved for a down low presence, it needs to be instilled in them that they need to get inside. Roles on this team need to be defined. As a legendary shooter, but a first time coach, Mullin needs to learn that not every player deserves to have the green light.
The guards are still here, but unfortunately, that big man is not. Having not seen today's game, and only looking at the box score, I see the two starting forwards combined to go 4-8 from 2, but only 1-5 each from three. Now, Ahmed has a decent shot, and they say Clark does, although I haven't seen him yet. But in a lineup starved for a down low presence, it needs to be instilled in them that they need to get inside. Roles on this team need to be defined. As a legendary shooter, but a first time coach, Mullin needs to learn that not every player deserves to have the green light.
Class of 72
Active member
Today he did neither. Thus Freeman had a field day. Especially since Bashir was similarly doing his own thing as usual.
In fact there is very little "team" in Mullin's team regardless of his rethoric. Everyone is just hoisting from the perimeter.
Waiting to see if Mullin will be able to get control over these individual talents. Matt should give his left nut for a mid year transfer big willingto do some dirty work under the basket.
billthetruth
Well-known member
Big thing nobody got hurt!!!
Lets move on. It was a glorified scrimmage
Lets move on. It was a glorified scrimmage
so let me get this straight, we are a mirror image of our team from last year. Glad we had a WHOLE year to correct our interior deficiencies. Blame is as follows so far:
1- Coaching staff that didn't get another big- OR have our existing bigs play better
2- Amar- Clearly the biggest body we have. 9 mins ONE rebound. As a Sr. big man, he needs to step up and do the dirty work.
3- Ahmed- He's been saying he needs better shot selection....i guess still not there
4- Clark- Do Not be Amar 2.0, BANG THE BOARDS!!!!!
scrimmage yes, but hopefully not a sign of whats to come. Did we not learn from last year?
1- Coaching staff that didn't get another big- OR have our existing bigs play better
2- Amar- Clearly the biggest body we have. 9 mins ONE rebound. As a Sr. big man, he needs to step up and do the dirty work.
3- Ahmed- He's been saying he needs better shot selection....i guess still not there
4- Clark- Do Not be Amar 2.0, BANG THE BOARDS!!!!!
scrimmage yes, but hopefully not a sign of whats to come. Did we not learn from last year?
beast of the east
Active member
In recent seasons, I go into the year with a less than optimistic view. Yes, having a true point guard in SImons, one that is 6-5 at that, is an improvement over the departed Mussini. However, the loss of a serviceable Mussini dampens that improvement slightly because our depth wasn't improved.
Just on stats alone, I was concerned that Clark likes to shoot three's and as a result you can't be too places at once - 20 feet from the basked and battling for boards. Can't for an opinion after just 2 exhibition games, but we are razor thin on the front line, and if Clark doesn't rebound hard and defend in the paint, we are in deep trouble.
It's a long season, and 2 of the top 6 rotation players are brand new. It's quite possible that the success of this season will hinge on players doing what the team needs to win rather than what they like to do as individuals. Yes, everyone likes to score - it's the nature of basketball. As an undersized squad, on most nights they will get outrebounded. How much they can keep rebound margins reasonable depend on positioning and desire. No matter what anyone says, being defense minded can detract from offense, since good defense is so much hard work.
IMO, this team, with their lack of depth and size on the front line, is going to have to play tough defense and hit the boards hard in order to win. A reasonable goal would be to go 10-8 in conference as a high goal. That would secure an NCAA bid. 9-9 would put them at around 6th in conference, and put them on the bubble. Anything less and they would need a winning OOC record just to get an NIT bid and offset a losing conference record.
Very unfair to make predictions after 2 exhibitions, but with some obvious flaws exposed yesterday, if they go uncorrected, 8-10, (a one game improvement in the BE) is perhaps the most anyone could reasonably hope for. Of course, then year 3 of the Mullin era would put us on the outside looking in.
Starting Friday, we must win every OOC game that should be won, since a 9-9 conference record will be viewed unfavorably unless we approach 20 wins overall.
Just on stats alone, I was concerned that Clark likes to shoot three's and as a result you can't be too places at once - 20 feet from the basked and battling for boards. Can't for an opinion after just 2 exhibition games, but we are razor thin on the front line, and if Clark doesn't rebound hard and defend in the paint, we are in deep trouble.
It's a long season, and 2 of the top 6 rotation players are brand new. It's quite possible that the success of this season will hinge on players doing what the team needs to win rather than what they like to do as individuals. Yes, everyone likes to score - it's the nature of basketball. As an undersized squad, on most nights they will get outrebounded. How much they can keep rebound margins reasonable depend on positioning and desire. No matter what anyone says, being defense minded can detract from offense, since good defense is so much hard work.
IMO, this team, with their lack of depth and size on the front line, is going to have to play tough defense and hit the boards hard in order to win. A reasonable goal would be to go 10-8 in conference as a high goal. That would secure an NCAA bid. 9-9 would put them at around 6th in conference, and put them on the bubble. Anything less and they would need a winning OOC record just to get an NIT bid and offset a losing conference record.
Very unfair to make predictions after 2 exhibitions, but with some obvious flaws exposed yesterday, if they go uncorrected, 8-10, (a one game improvement in the BE) is perhaps the most anyone could reasonably hope for. Of course, then year 3 of the Mullin era would put us on the outside looking in.
Starting Friday, we must win every OOC game that should be won, since a 9-9 conference record will be viewed unfavorably unless we approach 20 wins overall.